


Paradox

by talesofsymphoniac



Category: Tales of Series, Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Except not??, M/M, Post-Canon, Seraph Sorey, Sormikweek2016, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-08 10:25:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7754083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talesofsymphoniac/pseuds/talesofsymphoniac
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Through some unknown magical shenanigans, the party has run into a version of Sorey and Mikleo that seem to have come from centuries in the future. And they're dating.</p><p>Written a while back, published for Day Six of Sormik Week 2016: Clarity</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paradox

They weren't sure how it was possible.

Not even Lailah had any idea why, as they were making their way towards Lastonbell, two unknown beings appeared out of nowhere. The party had panicked, drawing weapons, and the pair, disoriented though they were, responded in kind, whipping upwards and standing back-to-back. After getting a brief look at their opponents, the stranger on the right lowered his sword, eyes wide. And he'd claimed to be Sorey, despite the fact that Sorey was standing right there. As if that weren't enough, the man, upon closer inspection, was clearly a seraph. Despite that, the group hesitated; the resemblance was uncanny. They were taller, older, and sported longer hair, but their features were the same, and so were their mannerisms.

At first, they wondered if it was a trick. Some illusion meant to make them lower their guard? But the strangers were clearly just as confused as they were, and Sorey didn't see the harm in talking to them. And as they talked, it became clear that they were the real deal. Sorey and Mikleo, sent back in time from centuries in the future (about three hundred years, by the adult Mikleo's estimate).

And no one could explain how it was possible. All they could agree on was that the older pair had been exploring an unmapped ruin, and suddenly they appeared in the middle of the Meadow of Triumph, overflowing with a malevolence that they had both forgotten in time. The older ones couldn't remember ever meeting their past selves, either. Who knew if this meeting might change everything, create an alternate timeline, destroy the fabric of spacetime itself? No one knew, and no one seemed to know where to go from there. 

So in the end, they'd continued on to Lastonbell. The older Sorey was reluctant to give away future events, worried about interfering with this timeline even more. Still, he explained that he'd been reborn as a seraph, and that they'd managed to succeed in their quest to defeat the Lord of Calamity. When Rose complained that those two facts were pretty obvious just by looking at him, he'd looked at her with a fond, strangely emotional smile. At least, it was strange until they remembered how far in the future he was from, how short a human lifespan was. 

Sorey had all sorts of questions for his older counterpart, about what it was like to be reborn, how he remembered his human life, what the world was like in the future, and what ruin they had been exploring, anyway? The seraph Sorey answered only a few of these questions, the older Mikleo cutting him off at some points when he threatened to reveal too much, but still, Sorey was endlessly interested. Mikleo, however, hung back, strangely silent, observing the others' interactions as if trying to piece something together.

They talked in the inn, trying to think of a direction to go, someone who would have the answers they needed. Coming to no conclusions, the older Sorey had apologized, suggesting they call it a night for now. He announced he was going to explore the city and leaned over to kiss his Mikleo on the cheek, then departed while the rest sat in surprised silence. Of course, after a brief moment everyone had rounded on the older Mikleo for an explanation, with the exception of Sorey and the younger Mikleo. Listening to Mikleo's adult self weather the group's good-natured teasing, they were unable to meet each other’s eyes, though both felt the other glancing at them when they thought they couldn't see. Both were suddenly afraid of what they might find on the other’s face.

This being the state of things, neither was aware that the other had the same idea when the older Mikleo split from the rest of the group to follow his partner out into the night. So neither Sorey nor Mikleo knew that they had both decided to follow behind, though they shared the same nervous excitement at the idea of spying.

Without ever being aware of the other, Sorey and Mikleo found hiding places near enough to see and hear what the older two were talking about. They were standing near the balcony, just as they had been only nights ago— or centuries, they supposed, for the couple in question. While at first they were debating the same questions the party had asked when they met up (How did we get here? Is it even possible to get back?) they soon had to yield to a lack of information, and the conversation changed course.

“It’s strange, seeing the younger versions of everyone,” the older Mikleo was saying. “Rose, too…” Mikleo chuckled, “Though it’s probably stranger for you, seeing her outside your memories.”

Sorey nodded. “It is. I didn’t think I’d get to see her again. I wonder if we'll run into Alisha, too." He paused. "Either way, I’m glad I had the chance to meet her again.”

“I’m glad, too,” Mikleo said, and when Sorey, lost in thought, didn’t reply, Mikleo nudged him. “Just enjoy the time you have here. Don’t overthink it.”

“You’re probably right,” Sorey admitted. “But come on, _shouldn’t_ I be overthinking things? It’s time-travel, Mikleo!” Sorey responded, and a smile tugged on the younger Mikleo’s lips, seeing the same excitement he was so familiar with on the older version of Sorey.

“Yeah, it _is_ pretty cool.” Mikleo tapped a finger to his lips. “I can see so many things I couldn’t, before. Stuff they don’t even know yet. It’s nice to have a bit of a one-up on Edna, you know?”

“Speaking of things they don’t know yet,” Sorey said, trying and failing to hide a mischievous grin. “I don’t think Sorey took his eyes off of you once.”

Mikleo made a _hmph_ noise, but he was clearly a touch amused. “How many years did I pine? And it turns out all I had to do was grow my hair out,” he shook his head in mock-disappointment.

“Hey, that’s not fair,” Sorey protested, clearly enjoying himself. “I always thought you were beautiful, even back then!” Both Mikleos flushed at this, though the younger one easily would have won the prize. Both of the younger two watched as Sorey moved closer Mikleo, so one arm was around his waist and his nose could nuzzle into Mikleo’s hair. “The hair was just… what’s that expression? Gilding the lily.” His words were acknowledged with a contented sigh.

The two stayed like that for some time, simply enjoying the other’s presence. Sorey and Mikleo, watching the pair, recognized that kind of easy, companionable silence, though this level of physical contact was new and, both thought with a flutter, rather tempting.

“Of course, you’ve grown yourself, you realize,” Mikleo remarked, as if there had been no gap in the conversation.

“Besides my hair?” Sorey teased, and Mikleo let out a huff of laughter.

“Yes, besides your hair. You look older. You were always cute, but you look more mature now.”

Sorey perked up at Mikleo’s words, looking giddy. “Really? You think?”

Mikleo laughed again, and it struck the younger Sorey how freely this Mikleo smiled and laughed. Not that his Mikleo seemed unhappy, exactly, but this version seemed so… carefree. Something in Sorey glowed, thinking he might be part of the reason for that.

“Your personality hasn’t changed so much, though,” Mikleo said with a teasing glint in his eye.

Sorey didn’t hesitate. “Is that your way of calling me cute?”

Mikleo looked surprised at this, looking up and covering his mouth in a way that both Soreys instinctively knew meant he was embarrassed. “I– Well.” Mikleo said by way of explanation. Sorey suppressed the urge to laugh, instead kissing Mikleo’s cheek.

“I love you,” he said, and both eavesdroppers stiffened. It was clear from his Mikleo’s lack of surprise that this was something he said often, and more than that, his tone left no doubt that he took pleasure in it still.

What was perhaps more surprising to the two watching was Mikleo relaxing at this and leaning into Sorey. “I love you, too,” he said, without a hint of embarrassment. Only a few paces away, the other Sorey found himself wondering how it would feel to be allowed to say something like that to Mikleo, unaware that a few paces away from that, Mikleo was secretly entertaining similar notions.

At this point, both eavesdroppers decided it was time to give the couple their privacy again, and they crept away silently, little knowing that their targets knew perfectly well they had been listening.

And perhaps that would have been the end of it, if the two hadn’t crept away into the exact same side street, bumping into each other in the process. They blinked, each quickly realizing what the other had been doing. Sorey turned away, scratching the back of his hand awkwardly.

“Mikleo!” he said, and even to his own ears he sounded overly-cheery. “I was just, um, checking out the bookstore over here!”

Mikleo was suitably unimpressed. “Uh-huh. Sorey, you _know_ you’re a terrible actor.”

Sorey dropped the facade. “Okay, okay, I saw them go off and I was curious. You were too, right?”

A pause. “Yeah.”

More silence. Neither of them wanted to go first. At last, Sorey took the plunge. “Well?”

“Well, what?” Mikleo said, and Sorey of all people knew when Mikleo was getting defensive.

“Well, what did you _think?_ ” he prompted, growing insistent.

Mikleo balked, but quickly deflected. “I– what did _you_ think?”

If Sorey hadn’t been red before, he certainly was now. “I thought… they seemed happy,” he said, his voice dropping slightly, like he wasn’t sure he wanted Mikleo to hear him. There was no response to this pronouncement. Finally, desperate to lift the mood, Sorey glanced back at Mikleo. “Do you really think I’m cute?” he said in exactly the same eager tone his older self had had.

Mikleo sputtered something that sounded like “Sorey!” He tried again, “I, uh… I–”

Sorey shook his head, turning away again. “Sorry, sorry,” he said, though there was a hint of pleasure in his sheepishness. “We can… talk about it later?” The implication was clear to both parties, thinking of what they had just observed. Later, indeed. “Let’s go find the others, okay?”

Mikleo finally allowed himself to look at Sorey, and seeing his easy demeanor was a comfort. He felt relaxed in a way he hadn’t been able to manage since the previous night. It was just Sorey, after all. Nothing had really changed. He found himself nodding. “Okay.”

They retraced their steps back to the others. Together, this time.

 


End file.
